Soba Noodles with Green Tea Poached Salmon
This was one of those recipes that immediately caught my eye. I’ve never poached fish period, and have certainly had never thought to poach it in tea. This isn’t a cheap dish to make, and definitely involves some “investment” items if you don’t already have them in stock. It’s worth it, however. I would deem this “restaurant quality.” The one thing I will note is that I’m not sure that the flavors of the mirin and the green tea come through in the salmon. The sauce is definitely the dominant flavor in this dish.
Soba Noodles with Green Tea Poached Salmon
From Turn Table Kitchen
Ingredients:
1 lb of skin-on salmon fillet
3 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons of tahini
2 tablespoons of honey
1 lime, juiced and zested
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 bunch of broccoli
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
sea salt, to taste
1 tablespoon of black peppercorns
3 bags of green tea
1/2 cup of mirin
1 package of soba noodles
4 green onions, thinly sliced
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Whisk together the sesame oil, tahini, honey, lime juice, lime zest, soy sauce and ginger in a small bowl, until you have a smooth sauce.
3. Trim the broccoli, cutting the bunch into bite-sized florets. Toss with garlic, olive oil and salt in a bowl. Transfer broccoli to a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes.
4. Add 1 cup of water to a medium saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer. Turn the heat down the low. Add the teabags and peppercorns. Once the water has been infused with the tea (about three minutes) remove the tea bags and add the mirin to the poaching liquid.
5. Slip the salmon, skin side down, into the poaching liquid. Cover the saucepan and cook the salmon for about 8-10 minutes, or until it is just barely cooked through. Transfer the salmon to a plate and use a fork to flake it into bite-sized pieces. 
7. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add soba noodles and cook according to the package instructions (about 6 minutes). Drain noodles and add to a large bowl.
8. Add broccoli to the noodles. Toss in the green onion. Pour in the dressing and toss to coat. Divide noodle mixture among bowls, top with salmon.
Serves Four
